Back in the spring, we got the surprising news that one of Netflix’s many original movies featuring comedian Adam Sandler was going to be a sequel to the beloved sports comedy “Happy Gilmore.” That’s right, the hockey player who wasn’t too strong on ice skates but had one hell of a drive off the golf tee is coming back for a new movie. We’re still waiting to see what the story will be this time, but during a recent appearance on “The Tonight Show” to promote his new comedy special “Adam Sandler: Love You,” the Sandman took some time to hype up “Happy Gilmore 2,” and he even confirmed one of the big cameos we’ll see in the movie.
As Sandler told host Jimmy Fallon and the live audience:
“People have been asking me for a long time, ‘Do Happy Gilmore 2,’ and I was always like, ‘Nah, I’ll only let you down.’ But then me and my buddy, Tim Herlihy, we came up with this idea. We’re really excited about it. We wrote our asses off. We’re continuing to try to make it a movie that you guys will like.”
It’s not as though Sandler is going to say he’s worried about whether it will work or that the script isn’t in good shape. That’s not how you get people excited for a movie. But you have to hope that it took something special for them to return to the links after nearly 30 years. Tim Herlihy, who wrote the original movie, is back on script duty after being behind some of Sandler’s best comedies, including “The Wedding Singer” and “Big Daddy.” However, he’s also been responsible for some of the worst, like “Little Nicky” and “Grown Ups 2,” as well as Netflix originals like “The Ridiculous 6” and “Hubie Halloween.” So this could go either way.
But Sandler will be getting some help from at least one famous face, as the comedian confirmed NFL superstar and Taylor Swift arm candy Travis Kelce will be making some kind of appearance in the movie.
Travis Kelce will appear in Happy Gilmore 2
Sandler not only confirmed that several professional golfers will be appearing in “Happy Gilmore 2,” but Travis Kelce will have a role. When Kelce found out “Happy Gilmore 2” was happening (via The Hollywood Reporter), he took the time on his podcast “New Heights” to tell his brother, fellow NFL player Jason Kelce, that he would do anything to be in the movie:
“I didn’t even know there was a job opening on ‘Happy Gilmore 2.’ I’ll be a f**king extra […] anything to get around Happy Gilmore, an Adam Sandler film or set — count me in.”
Sandler said, “We have something nice for Travis,” before going on to praise him by adding, “He’s a very nice guy. You guys would love him in real life. What a big, handsome guy. Funny and cool as hell. He’s a stud, and he’s so funny.” Well, when you’re a Super Bowl-winning football player like Travis Kelce, easily one of the most famous people on the planet right now, it’s not hard for wishes like this to come true.
Despite Kelce clearly seeming like a great guy, I can’t say that I entirely agree with the funny sentiment. Sure, it’s entertaining to listen to him and his brother shoot the breeze on their podcast, but when Kelce hosted “Saturday Night Live” in March 2023Â (seen above), he left a lot to be desired. Granted, “SNL” is a challenging gig for even the most seasoned actors, but Kelce didn’t show a lot of acting talent in that performance either. So hopefully he signed up for some acting classes to help him out, even if he ends up playing himself (especially since he has another movie deal coming together). Could Kelce be another celebrity golfer, similar to the original “Happy Gilmore” bringing in Bob Barker for a memorable scene? We’ll have to wait and see.
“Happy Gilmore 2” doesn’t have a release date yet, but it will be directed by Kyle Newacheck, who has helmed several episodes of “Workaholics” and “What We Do in the Shadows,” and Christopher McDonald will be back as Shooter McGavin. Stay tuned for more.
